Raising Winchesters
by MaraDixen413
Summary: After the fire, what happened before Dean picked Sam up from collage. The events leading up to the events that changed history. The famous Winchester brothers before they were famous. Pre-series follows along with canon.
1. Chapter 1

**So I have one story going on at the moment, and I update to fast. So I figure I write another story between update times to space them out. So here's my new story, its Sam and Dean's lives growing up with others mixed in. I'll try an keep it as canon as possible.  
**

 **This chapter is not been reviewed by a beta reader I apologize for any grammatical errors.**

* * *

Young Dean Winchester counted the days on the calendar. His Daddy said he'd be back in six days, the first time he'd counted there were six days and now he was finally there. He jumped down from the kitchen chair he'd been standing on and ran to the living room to see Mrs. Dawson sitting on the couch, holding Sammy in her arms.

"Hey Dean," She greeted him. He didn't respond, just climbed up beside her and held out his arms, reaching for the infant. She sighed, but smiled and placed sleeping baby Sam in the little boys arms. She had been trying to get him to speak for the past six days he had been staying with them but he wouldn't have it. Just locked inside his own mind. She wondered exactly what the little boy had gone through in the fire, of course losing his mother had been difficult but most children would at least ask questions. Dean didn't, just stared blankly or asked for Sam, without words.

"Sam's getting so big now," She commented, tugging on the babies sock covered foot. Dean nodded, staying silent.

The women sighed and got up from her spot, running her fingers through he little boys hair as she passed. She understood Dean was upset, and alone now that his father needed to, _find proof._ Whatever that meant. Her husband Rob had suggested they call CPS, but she shut it down.

She had been best friends with Mary since she high school, she couldn't turn her children away.

Dean smiled at his brother, who's hazel eyes were now opened and glancing around the room. Most babies cried when they woke up, that's why Dean loved Sam, because he wasn't like other babies. Sam understood, he listened. He knew Mommy was gone and he knew something really really bad had killed her.

"Daddy's coming home today Sam," He whispered.

The baby just cooed but that was enough for Dean.

* * *

John Winchester sat in the drivers seat of his car, his head resting against the steering wheel. He dreaded going into that house. Having to face Dean, and see Sam smile at him. He envied Sammy he really did, to have such innocents in a place full of fear. He raised up and wiped his eyes, they seemed to always be wet lately. He wished Mary was here, she'd know what to do. He took a breath and opened up the door, heading up to his neighbors house. Lura had been Mary's best friend and had agreed to take care of the boys while he found proof, proof that what killed Mary was not natural. He was right, he met a psychic who filled him in on all things Supernatural. She had also filled him in on what Mary had done before she was killed, by a monster. Monsters that she used to fight until they got married. He felt betrayed, that she could keep something that important from him.

He pushed it to the back of his mind as he knocked on the door, waiting for Lura to answer the door. But she didn't, a four year old little boy with blond hair and green eyes did. He wrapped himself around John's leg so tight he worried it would cut off circulation.

"Hey Dean, how ya been," He said softly, picking the the little boy up and giving him a hug. He didn't say anything but his eyes shined bright and the corners of his lips tugged into a smile. "Have you been good," He asked. The little boy shook his head, making his shaggy hair fall over his eyes.

"Hello John," Lura smiled coming into the hallway. He gave her an appreciative nod, moving Dean to his hip.

"Where's Sammy," He asked. He chuckled as Dean pointed the way. He followed Lura and Dean's finger into the living room to find baby Sammy on the couch, surrounded by pillows so he wouldn't fall.

The baby's eyes widened, his mouth curving into a grin, showing off his two bottom teeth. John smiled, and let Dean sink to the floor, holding onto his pants leg.

He picked the infant up, cradling him into the crook of his arm, rocking him slightly. He turned as Lura cleared her throat behind him.

"What are you going to do John," She asked gently. He sighed, dreading this conversation.

"I'm taking the boys on.. sort of a road trip. A long one," he explained. The truth was he had a meeting with a pastor in Colorado. He was going to help him out and explain everything further.

"Is that what's best," She winced.

"I have no other choice," He mumbled, letting Sam grab his finger.

"The boys can stay here a bit longer. Take all the time you need," She offered.

John thought this through, let he boys take a but more time to grieve. They should be a bit more adjusted when he got back.

"Your sure," He asked.

"I love the boys John, just keep in touch so we know you haven't fallen of the face of the earth," She laughed. John just sighed and looked down at the little boy holding his pants leg, who seemed to be staring off into space.

"You think you can do that kiddo," He asked Dean. The boy looked up at him with wide fearful eyes, but of coarse said nothing. John sighed again out of frustration, if Dean didn't start talking by the time he got back he would have to have a talk with the boy.

* * *

A week passed before John had to leave to meet the pastor. The boys stayed at Lura's house while he stayed in a motel room a few miles away. He sat on the couch holding Sam one more time before he left. Dean was outside playing, he hadn't said he was leaving yet and he wanted some time with the baby before Dean's fit started. He kissed the baby on the forehead before lowering him into the bouncy seat.

Dean huffed in frustration when the two rocks he smashed together didn't make fire. He didn't understand why it always seemed to work in movies. He gave up and tossed the rocks into the grass, scowling at them.  
"Hey Dean," he turned and smiled at the sight of his father walking toward him. "I think we need to have a talk," He said firmly. The little boy gulped, hoping he wasn't in trouble. He couldn't think of anything he had done wrong right now.

"Dean why aren't you talking," He asked. Dean looked down at his shoes. He didn't understand why he felt like he shouldn't talk. Just that there was something keeping him from saying the words he needed to say.

"Dean!" He snapped his head up and looked his father in the eyes.

"Its time to step up kiddo, just me you and Sam now. I have work to do, so you have to take care of your brother, he's your responsibility Dean, you have to take care of him," His father said sternly. "You have to talk, you have to be able to teach Sam things."

He did talk to Sammy, and only Sammy.

"Dean listen close alright, I'm not joking. There are bad things out there and they can hurt you and your brother," His eyes widened, and his heart beat sped up.

"I have to go away for awhile, I have to learn things, so I can find the thing that killed your mother," He explained. Dean shook his head.

"No. Stay here," He whispered. John smiled slightly, happy to hear his oldest sons voice for the first time in weeks.

"I promise you I'll come back alright. But you have to grow up and be a big boy, watch out for Sammy," He warned. It sounded final to Dean, knowing his father was going to leave whether he liked it or not. He was scared, scared of the bad things out there that could get him and Sam.

"When are you coming back," He asked quietly.

"Soon, promise me Dean.. your going to grow up," He asked a bit desperate. John knew he couldn't do this with out help, he wondered at what time in his life did he start depending on a four year old.

The little boy nodded, biting his lip to keep from crying. He needed to grow up now, to protect Sam from the bad things.

* * *

 **There's the first chapter please follow and review.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this took so long I just binged watched five seasons of The Walking Dead and then had to let my mind recuperate.**

 **This chapter is canon to what Sam said in season eight episode twenty one, The Great Excapist.**

* * *

 _Six months after the fire._

Dean sat on the side of the motel bathtub, Sammy standing in front of him. The now year old had six baby teeth and Dean was trying his best to keep them brushed every morning and night like his Mother had done for him. The now five year old held the younger boy between his legs, trying to keep him from running away. The toddler didn't like this and kept struggling trying to get free from the older boys grip. He fought hard against his brothers grip, pulling his head away from the tooth brush.

"I'm almost done Sammy hold still," Dean commanded. Finally he had sung the ABC song twice in his head and released the angry toddler. Sam's hair had gotten longer, hanging over his hazel eyes. Their Dad had been making comments about needing a hair cut soon, but Dean thought it better to just leave it alone. His hair was short now, spiky. Dad said this was how soldiers wear their hair, and he was a soldier now. Dean liked that, being a soldier just like his Dad was before he was born.

"De!" Sammy chirped, pointing to the man standing in the door way. Dean looked up at his Dad and grinned, getting a smile in return. He liked helping with Sam, Sam was his job. He did all the things his Mom did while his Dad hunted the monster that killed her. That made his Dad proud, and kept Sammy safe, from the monster.

But Dean didn't like to think about that, not the fire. He stood up from his place on the tub and took his little brothers hand, looking up at his father to see what he was supposed to do next. They had stopped at this motel just as a rest stop, but they were really heading back to Pastor Jim. They were going to stay there while his Dad took care of a Vampire with the help of a man named Daniel Elikins. Dean didn't like Vampires, last time his Dad went to kill one he came back with a bite taken out of his neck, and he was mad, really mad. He drank until he finally went to sleep, leaving Dean to calm Sammy down alone.

"Go on ahead to the Impala I'll grab our bags," He ordered. Dean nodded and led his brother outside. Sam sat beside him in the back seat, no car seat, his Dad said it took to long to get him in and out. He had a book open on his lap and carefully read the words to Sam, who was listening intently to the story about Kind Arthur. He stumbled quiet a bit, names and places looked funny to him. But he kept on reading. His mother had showed him the basics, said he was so smart. So now he just sounded the difficult words out the best he could.

* * *

Sam watched his brother carefully, listening to the story. The story was about great people who did great things. Saints and hero's. Something about the story made him sad, like he could never be as good as the hero's in the story, like Dean and his Daddy. Something inside him felt off, felt bad. He didn't like it, not at all, and he didn't know where it came from or what it was but he wanted it gone.

The door to the Impala opened and his Daddy slid into the drivers seat, turned and gave them a once over before starting the car.

"Do we have to go to Pastor Jim's," Dean asked hesitantly. Sam watched their fathers face fall, before he sighed deeply.

"Don't start this Dean," He said firmly.

"But I can help you kill the monsters," He insisted.

There father looked back at him, locking eyes with Sam. "Dean don't talk about Monsters in front of Sammy OK, that's our secret," John told him. Sam chewed on his fingers, watching the interaction. He couldn't understand exactly what Dean had done, but the look on his brothers face said he felt bad about whatever it was.

"You hear me Dean," He said in a hard voice that Sam didn't like.

"Yes Sir," Dean said quietly, lowering his eyes back to the pages on the book.

"De OK," Sam said touching his brothers arm. That's what Dean said to him at night when the bad dreams came, the ones with the man with the yellow eyes. It always made him feel better to hear his brother tell him that. Dean looked up and smiled at him.

"I'm OK Sammy, lets finish the story," He said plastering a smile on his face, he then continued to read about King Arthur and the good men, making Sammy want even more to be good like Dean.

* * *

John watched his boys in the rear view mirror. Watched Sammy's face twist up into different emotions as his brother read him the story book. He wondered what was going on through his younger son's head.

He felt bad getting onto Dean like that, but he didn't want Sam to know what was out there. Dean was ruined, he'd seen monsters and seen what they did when he came home from a hunt covered in blood, he'd seen his mother burning alive on the ceiling. Sam was still innocent and he wanted to keep him that way for as long as possible.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened at the thought of Mary, but he bite it back and kept his eyes on the road.

Dean had potential of course. He had perks. He was young and bendable, he could be trained to be one of the best hunters out there with the right training. If anything happened to him in the mean time Dean could finish it for him, he could hunt down what killed Mary. Because that's why he was doing this, he needed to find the thing an kill it, his boys would just have to bare with him until he could do it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three, yes I know updates are coming pretty slow.**

* * *

Dean held Sam's hand as they walked up the drive way toward the big church. Pastor Jim was waiting on the steps, smiling kindly at them. The man was older, with greying hair. He wore a black suit with a white thingy on the neck, that Dean wasn't sure what was called.

"Hi pastor Jim," Sam said waving excitedly. They liked coming here, and playing in the rows of benches inside, or running around on the play ground out back. Either way it was a welcomed change from the back seat of the Impala.

"Hello Sam, Dean," He greeted, then sent a nod to John. Dean could tell him and his dad weren't really friends, they fought a lot and Dean wasn't sure why. But Pastor Jim always wanted them to stay longer, or at least while their dad was hunting.

"Have any news for me?" His dad questioned, his voice deep and tight. His fathers voice always sounded like that when he talked to other people.

"I'm sorry John, nobody's heard anything, I just haven't seen anything like your describing," Jim said somberly. Dean wasn't sure what he meant, but he did notice Sam looking up confused at everything. Dean wondered how long it would be before Sam started putting things together, before his brother realized. He was two right now and maybe when he was three he'd get smarter, that scared him.

"I'm taking Sam around back, we gotta keep are secret right dad?" He said looking up at his dad, who's eyes were getting darker, more shadowed. His mommy's eyes were like after Sammy was born.

"Sure Dean go on," He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. The cold air nipped at them, Dean noticed how much colder it was getting earlier after he had to bundle Sam up in a blanket before they left.

"Dean my friend Caleb's around back, he's older but don't be afraid of him," Pastor Jim warned as Dean heading around the back of the church. Dean nodded in understanding but moved slower, keeping a grip on his brothers hand. His dad said a good point in life is to never trust anyone. They only trusted Pastor Jim because his Dad said his mommy grew up with him.

He rounded the corner to see a kid about sixteen years old, sitting in the grass scribbling in a journal. Dean came closer carefully, until he was standing in front of him.

"Hi," He said quietly, getting Caleb's attention.

"Hi.. Pastor Jim send you out here?" He questioned.

Dean nodded, then looked down at Sam who was trying his best to get away from his brother and head for the swings.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked. Looking at the picture the boy was drawing.

Caleb hesitated a second, "Its a Werewolf.. its not real, just like drawing them," He told the younger boy.

"Yes it is I saw one, my Daddy fought it off though," He said shaking his head. Realization flashed in Caleb's eyes, realizing he was another hunters kid that was getting dumped while the grown ups talked about a job.

"What's your name," He asked

"Dean, this is my brother Sam," He said, letting go of his hold on the toddler. He watched closely as Sam made a beeline for the swings.

"Got stuck on baby sitting duty didn't you," Caleb said with fake sympathy, he's gotten stuck on the job once or twice, they weren't even his siblings.

"Nah, that's just my job, Sam's my re-responsible-ty," He said sounding out the big word. Dean spoke with a slight lisp still, but he had started growing out of it at last.

* * *

John watched his boys turn and head around behind the church, out of sight and hearing range. He turned his attention back to Jim.

"So know ones heard of anything that would do something like this?" John asked, a head ache forming.

"Nope, I have a few other contacts you might want to look into though," He suggested.

"Like who.. and don't you dare say a psychic," He growled. He had enough of people telling him to go see one, he didn't believe in them then and he didn't believe in them now. He could handle monsters but that was just to much.

"I'm telling you John she can help!" Him insisted, "I've known her for a long time and I can assure you," He pleaded. John Winchester was a stubborn man and had a hard time following orders, which was odd considering his military back ground.

"Can't do it Jim, have you got any cases for me," He asked, trying to change the topic, he'd find some other way to figure out what killed Mary.

Jim scowled, he hated giving John jobs, the man had no idea what he was ever doing and always went in with half the information, getting himself hurt.

"Vengeful spirit in Ohio, I'll have the details tomorrow" He sighed.

"Thanks, I'll let the boys play awhile longer before we go," He said hesitantly, looking up at the sky to see how long until dark.

"John is it best to be taking the boys on all these hunts, Sam's getting smarter, and Dean's just five, almost six," He said in his 'please listen to me' voice.

John huffed, "Dean has Sam under control, and he's tough, he can handle it," He told the preacher.

"Dean shouldn't be caring for Sam full time, and he definitely shouldn't be watching you kill monsters from the back seat of the car," He said raising his voice a bit. He rarely got angry but John Winchester just had that affect.

"I know what's best for _my_ boys," He snapped, before he turned and headed around to the back of the church. He turned the corner to see Sam playing on the swings, Dean sitting by a teenage boy. He noticed Dean's eyes darting back and forth between his brother and the book the boy was writing in.

"Hey Dean, come on bud!" He called. He watched Dean as he said goodbye to Caleb, before coaching Sam off the slide. Together they both headed off to the Impala, Jim's glare burning into the back of his skull.

"Who was that you were talking to?" John asked, as Dean buckled the big seat belt over the two year olds tiny frame.

"Caleb, he was telling me how Werewolves get made," He said bluntly. The tone in his voice made it sound so normal, a five year old talking about monsters in such detail and belief was normal, but a five year old seeing monsters was a different story. But Dean's not normal, John reminded himself. He's to far gone to be normal, he said justifying himself. Then he looked back at Sam, hazel eyes taking in the country side as they drove for the nearest motel, Sam was still innocent.


	4. Not a chapter

Hey guys,

I'm just going to be honest, and Id like to apologize for not updating.

I have an Anxiety. Its so bad I'll have panic attacks over the most normal things that I just can't seem to grasp. One thing I've started freaking out about is not updating fast enough, or not getting a story out fast enough. It sucks but unfortunately I can't help it.

Just in case your worried, I'm not quitting the site or anything, or abandoning any of my stories. Its just that I can't get them all updated fast enough without working myself into a freak out. So here's my new thing. I need to take a small break, It should only be a week or two long. During this break I'm going to work out a schedule or whatever for my stories.

To the fans of my Supernatural Foster AU, you guys are amazing and patient, and I thank you. By the end of the week I'll try my best to have a new chapter for you guys to resolve the cliff hanger I left you on.

To the I am a Winchester fans, I'm working on the Sam chapter as fast as I can without killing myself.

To my Boaz Priestly fans, I haven't abandoned it, I'm just working out the outline since I decided to switch somethings around. But the next chapter should be posted around the time I post a new chapter for I bet my life.

To my Redeemed fans. Little Ray will be back, I actually just started the next chapter in my notebook. In a week, I promise.

To my Seeing you again Fans, I'm still trying to work out the knots in the plot line but I should be back soon.

To my The end of the world fans. This story is tripping my brain out, but I'll try and get a chapter out when my break is over.

Any other stories I have not mentioned of an hold for the time being, but I will be back. I will not start any new ones until ALL my current stories are finished.

I'm really sorry guys, I really am. I'll see you in a week and hopefully I'll have my life straitened out by then.

Peace out.

~Mara


End file.
